Transition to digital breast tomosynthesis-guided biopsies: Results and complications compared to stereotactic...

This study evaluates targeting success, pathologic results, and complications of upright digital breast tomosynthesis-guided biopsies (DBTB) compared to prone stereotactic breast biopsies (PSBB) performed during the same time period. In this retrospective study, 252 consecutive mammographically guided vacuum-assisted 9-gauge breast biopsies performed at a single institution from December 2017 to August 2018 were evaluated. This included 153 DBTBs compared to 99 PSBBs. A total of 153 DBTBs (in 139 patients) and 99 PSBBs (in 96 patients) were performed during the study period. Targeting success was similar for DBTB (99%) and PSBB (99%). DBTB was used to target both calcifications (110) as well as non-calcified targets (43), while PSBB only targeted calcifications. Malignant biopsies from DBTB were more likely to be invasive (n = 12, 8%) than PSBB (n = 2, 2%), with P = .03. Moreover, DBTB targets classified as calcifications only were less likely to yield invasive malignancy (2/109, 2% vs 10/43, 23%), with P = .0001. PPV3 was similar for DBTB (24%) and PSBB (27%) as were high-risk pathology results (23% and 18%, respectively). Tissue marker migration > 1cm occurred at a similar frequency (14% vs 13%). Hematomas were slightly more frequent with DBTB (19/152, 13%) than with PSBB (4/98, 4%), with P = .026. Finally, the average number of core biopsies with DBTB was higher than with PSBB (8.32 vs 7.39, respectively), with P = .02. Compared to prone stereotactic breast biopsy, upright digital breast tomosynthesis biopsy has a similar high targeting success frequency, low complication frequency, and additionally allows targeting of calcified and non-calcified targets.